911 had a wild episode that once more proves Bridget Regan has become TV’s go-to casting for a wicked villainess!
Caution: This article contains mild SPOILERS for 911 season 8, episodes 14 & 15
911’s big two-parter “Sick Day/Lab Rats” had the 118 racing to stop a fire at a bio-lab. It was the work of a top scientist named Moira Blake, a genius who was a bit too obsessed with her own fame. That had her breaking the lab rules testing a new virus without authorization and was so fired.
Moira stole the virus with the intention of selling it to a medical corporation. Her plan was to let the virus get out, become an outbreak, then a pandemic, then sell the antidote for it. As Buck put it, “No one wins a Nobel Prize for creating a virus, but they would for stopping it.” That she was willing to kill thousands or more just to become famous shows how twisted Moira is.
She was caught by Athena and had a strange mentality in how she seemed to take the chase from federal agents as some sort of game to the point of not realizing why the cops, FBI, and Army were all hunting her. In just two episodes, Moira made a huge impact as arguably the best villain 911 has seen in a long time.
That’s all because of the actress as Moria is yet another part in Bridget Regan’s resume that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt she’s the best actress today for playing TV villains!
Where you know Bridget Regan from
Bridget Regan got her breakout role as, ironically, a heroine. She played the mystical Kahlan in the 2008-10 syndicated fantasy series Legend of the Seeker. Regan was wonderful in the role with Kahlan showing her warrior side as well as a powerful magic user. She also had a turn for the last three seasons of the military drama The Last Ship as a top operative.
However, whenever Regan pops up on television shows, she’s often playing the baddie. She’s a master at characters that at first seem pleasant, then turn out to be twisted killers and/or connivers. The first example is White Collar, in which Regan plays Rebecca Lowe, a museum worker who’s romanced by Neal (Matthew Bomer) as part of a con scheme.
The two get together, with Rebecca playing along with the plan…at which point, she’s revealed to be Rachel Turner, a former British agent who was playing Neal all along. She became a recurring foil throughout the series.
Regan likewise started on Marvel’s Agent Carter series as Dottie, a small-town neighbor of Carter (Haley Atwell) who is a ruthless sleeper agent for some wild fights. She also played Rose, Jane the Virgin’s lawyer, who was revealed as a powerful drug lord.
Regan was a perfect choice to play Poison Ivy on Batwoman and the pilot of the short-lived The Company You Keep had her as a woman cunning enough to fool a family of con artists and bilk them before they realize it.
Far and away, Regan’s most notable villain role is on The Rookie as Monica Stevens, a criminal attorney in every sense of the term. At first only ruthless defending crooks, Monica has risen to be a top crime lord herself and the current season has her planning some sort of major crime under the noses of the cops.
The fact that Regan is only 43 years old and already amassed a mountain of credits is a testament to how great she is at being bad.
What makes Bridge Regan so good at being bad
Regan has found a true niche in television. Rather than a regular star on a series, she’s better at guest-starring on various shows and making a memorable appearance. The actress is marvelous, sinking into these roles, her bright red hair helping her stand out and that ever-present smirk showing a mischievous side.
Regan’s charm helps her roles, especially with characters who are playing at being innocent before their dark sides come out. She’s totally believable as a sociopath who often enjoys these twisted games. She can also be cool and aloof, as with Poison Ivy, or not grasping why causing a pandemic to become famous is a bad idea.
It’s no surprise why Regan is so in demand, as she can slip into any guest star slot with ease and make it a memorable turn. 911 has proven that with little time in two episodes, Regan provided a chilling and fantastic role that ranks among the show’s best guest star appearances.
It’s a certainty Regan will be popping up on The Rookie again and most likely some other TV series (no doubt also on ABC). It’s also probable that she’ll be packing on a big career in TV, given her young age. 911 only cements that Regan is better off as TV’s go-to guest-star villainess rather than be tied to one series to entertain millions of viewers.
911 season 8 returns on Thursday, May 1 at 8/7c on ABC.